A Guide to Hiking Black Cap Mountain

The New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) brings together the region's bike enthusiasts, sponsoring rides, conducting training clinics and providing information about trails and cycling opportunities. It's blazed bike trails all across the northeast, including one at Black Cap Mountain. Yet, as serious as they are about cycling, even the good folks at NEMBA know there's a time to ride and a time to drive [source: NEMBA].

The organization notes that this trek starts with a big climb or a two-mile (3.2 kilometer) drive up from Black Cap's base along a narrow, winding road to the mountain's bike trail. Those looking for a hearty workout need not fear: The bike trail starts with a one-mile (1.6 kilometer) uphill climb. The single track then peaks before falling into a smooth sloping descent. All that work getting up the mountain finally pays off two miles later, with a sharp, speedy mile-and-a-half (2.4 kilometer) decline down a dirt track [source: NEMBA].

Along the way, opportunities abound for riders to take in the majestic mountain scenery, including the granite rockwork and nearby picturesque woodlands. They should also pay attention to the trail's rolling terrain, however, as tree roots pop up here and there [source: NEMBA].

Black Cap's roller coaster-like bike trail lets out on the mountain's western side, near Hurricane Mountain and typically takes one or two hours to complete. Those who biked the entire way can continue the ride to Horsefeathers, a local watering hole where cyclists often show up to work off a heavy post-ride thirst. Those who drove uphill can figure out how to get back to the car [source: NEMBA].